Census, Apportionment and Redistricting

Presentation by Steven Elliott

New York State Assembly

The primary purpose of the decennial U.S. Census is the allocation of congressional Representatives among the 50 states. Federal law allocates a fixed number of Representatives among the states while the states retain the responsibility of drawing districts for their Representatives. Most of the statistical issues involved are straightforward and involve the use of population data to prove compliance with state and federal legal requirements. However, the issue of statistical adjustment of the Census - though currently obviated by federal action - presents legal, theoretical and practical problems.